New Lot In Life:
Danite Zealot
Background General: If youve been around the Desert state, particularly Salt Lake City, you cannot go far without hearing hushed warnings of the Danites. Like urban bogymen, the Danites are said to be the secret army of the Mormons, an army to stand against the darkness of human nature while using that same darkness as their weapon of choice. However, there is little real evidence of their existence. Those who may have seen a Danite never speak of the incident or simply disappear before they can ever talk. The Danite Zealot were conceived to protect the secrets of the Danite's and to be generals of the secert army though many Zealots, drunk with power and paranoia, unwittingly serve the darkness they once swore to fight. Though every Danite swears secrecy, the Zealot swears to "help" others keep it. Zealot not only investigates and eliminates the supernatural, but ensures no one ever knows about it, "what they don't know, we protect them from" is one of mottos Zealots live by. Classes: It takes a special person to become a Danite Zealot. As expected many Zealots are fire and brimstone Blessed. But many Blessed often dislike some of the despicable acts of evil they must perform while in the service of the Danites and shy away from the notion of pushing their belief and morals beyond the breaking point. Mavericks are well suited to become Zealots; they have all the necessary skills and are drawn to the ability to go about their business unnoticed, while Rowdies often are drawn to the Zealot's role of hired bullies for the chruch. Hucksters, Braves and Shaman can never become Danite Zealots since they violate nearly every Mormon edict. No known Zealot is a Mad Scientist by trade, the madness that often accompanies them is a bad mix with secert influence of the Zealot. Though the Danites may consider otherwise for a scientist who prove their sanity as well as bring some nice toyes for the group. Races: As usual for Deadlands: humans only. In other world setting other races maybe allowed, but the Zealot is always associated with a strong and organized mono-species religion. Relations:
The Danite Zealot, except amongst the Danites
themselves, are unknown to the rest of the world at large.
When not in disguise people treat you as if you are your
original class, a common street person may roam the night
as a Zealot and no one would know it. Otherwise
stories about Zealot (and most Danite) encounters are
chalked to paranoia, booze or shadows in the night
as one news report put it. Within the Mormon Church
Danites for the most part are looked upon as a necessary
evil, and have been given direct clearance to do any
dirty work that needs to done. The Zealot is
regarded with even less tolerance, even Brigham Young
thinks that the Zealots have gone to far in many cases.
But like a run away train, the Zealots have too much
momentum to be stopped now by mere mortal ideals. Note: Zealots are not exclusive to the Danites; in fact nearly every organized religion has them, and are often associated with despicable acts that never seem to come to justice. MARSHAL BE WARND: You may wish to restrict the Danite Zealot as a NPC villain class. |
Hit dice: D6 |
Requirements Racial: Human only, and never harrowed...to start Alignment: Never lawful good or neutral good. Attack/Save Bonus: +6 base attack bonus Traits/Abilities: Wisdom 15+, Cha 15+ Skills: Intimidate 6 ranks, Disguise 4 ranks, Knowledge (Occult, Religion) 4 ranks each. Feats: Iron Will, The Stare, must NOT have or abandon the Renowned feat. Initiation rites: The character must be one of the faithful (at least year) at the chruch serve and serve as a member of the Danites for at least one full level and serve under another Zealot for this time, doing whatever he bids, which is always the dirtiest and most dangerous work. At the end of this period the Dantie under goes a secert ritual of bonding. Other: Your are bound for life to your particular religion or sect. In the case of the Danite's a splinter group of Mormons. Once you become a Zealot you may no longer take any other class. Old classes maybe increased normally, but you may not go down a new road in life. Also you must be willing to die for your religion and carry out orders that may require super human or demonic actions. There is also always some one above you in the ranks watching your every move, ready to pull the trigger if necessary. |
Class Table
Level | Attack | Fort | Refx | Will | Special Features |
1 st | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Free Gift: Zeal, Shroud |
2nd | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Strength of Character 1 |
3 rd | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Testimony or Hold thy Tongue |
4 th | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Testimony or Hold thy Tongue |
5 th | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | Strength of Character 2 |
6 th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | Tainted Miracles |
7 th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | Self Sacrifice |
8 th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | Free Gift |
9 th | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | Strength of Character 3 |
10 th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | Justifiable Sins |
Class
Skills: Skill Points: Int modifier+3
per level. Bluff, Concentration, Decipher Script, Demolitions, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Intimidate, Innuendo, Hide, Holdout, Knowledge (local, religion, occult), Listen, Move Silently, Ridicule, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot. Weapons and Armour Proficiency: Limited to what ever their previous class was able to use. |
Class
Features: Zeal, level 1: You may use the Zeal gift as featured in the Deadlands D20 source book in the magic section for the Blessed. Strength of character: Level 2, 5, and 9: At these levels, you may add your wisdom modifier bonus to your total hit points as a one-time bonus. Shroud, level 1:
This power is associated with the black robe and hood
they are given upon being fully indoctrinated. When
wearing the robe and hood the Zealot essentially can take
20 on any action that would normally require a disguise
roll. This includes close examination even by close
friends or family. Those who try to remove the
shroud without the Zealots permission must make a
Will save DC 10 + the Zealot's level. If they fail
the save, a creepy feeling comes over them, and they
cannot bring themselves to try again for a full 12 hours.
Even if the Zealot dies with the shroud on it may only be
removed by making the Willpower save above, which is
exactly why so many Danites are buried in unmarked graves. Testimony, level 3 or 4: IF you take Testimony at level 3 you must wait to level 4 to take Hold thy tongue, and vice versa Activation/Saves: The Zealot makes an intimidation roll which is resisted by the target with a willpower save + 1/2 their level (or 1/2 number of hit dice). If the target makes their saving throw against Testimony the power cannot be used on that subject for the rest of the session (or gaming week). Use: Testimony requires at least 5 minutes to be preformed other wise it is simply a normal intimidation roll. The Zealot is limited to using Testimony to a number of times per games session (week) equal to their Charisma Modifier bonus. Duration: Testimony allows the Zealot to ask ONE question for level of experience they have as a Zealot or about 1 minute per question. Restrictions: You must be able to speak or write the same language as the victim. Power: Now the Real meat an potatoes. Testimony allows the Zealot to weed out nearly any information out of victim as well as keep the subject in a psychological stupor, in other words they are stunned and cannot willingly move. The victim of testimony must answer in
full truth the questions the Zealot is asking, if the
subject tries to dodge or hesitates the Zealot
immediately knows about. Questions must be straight
forward and one part questions wheres
your boss and where is he hiding? qualify as two
questions not just one. Details of the victim
answer can vary wildly depending on what they know,
but are often based the DC you rolled (after you beat
their resistance of course)
Hold thy Tongue, level 3 or 4: Activation/Saves: The Zealot makes an intimidation roll which is resisted by the target with a willpower save + 1/2 their level (or 1/2 number of hit dice). If the target makes their saving throw against Hold thy Tongue, the power cannot be used on that subject for the rest of the session (gaming week). Use: Hold thy Tongue requires at least 5 minutes to be preformed other wise it is simply a normal intimidation roll. The Zealot is limited to using Hold Thy Tongue to a number of times per game session (week) equal to their Charisma Modifier bonus. Restrictions: You must be able to speak to the victims language for the power to affect them. Power: Hold thy tongue
allows the Zealot to prevent the victim from telling
anyone about an event they saw, or even remeberingseeing
it. The extent of memory that is wiped varies
depending on how well you rolled:
This memory loss remains until some event or power causes the memory to come to the surface. The victim must save and automatically gets a bonus to save against any attempt to get him to remember the event. The victim gets a bonus equal to half the Zealots total level (at the time of the mind wipe) to resist any attempt to bring the memory to the foreground. Victims cannot refuse to make the roll or drop this bonus. Tanited Miracles,
level 6: The Zealot may at this level pick miracles from
the Blessed class available spells table that they may
use. They can choose a total number of spell levels
equal their Wisdom modifier bonus + Charisma
modifier bonus, and 2 zero-level
spells count as single level one spell. Example,
lets say that your charisma and wisdom bonus modifier add
up to 5. You may than choose one level 5 spell, or
one level 4 and one level 1 spell, or two level 2 spell
and one level 1 spell, or 10 level zero spells, or any
other combination as long as the total spell levels do
not add up higher than your Wisdom + Charisma modifier
bonus (5 in the example). Self Sacrifice, level 7:
The Zealot can sacrifice a portion of their soul and body
to enhance their ability to fight the forces of the
damned. Example: Jonas the Zealot decides to sacrifice 10 hit points to try slaying a demon with his trusty pistol. He shoots and hits, the pistol does 9 points of damage or 19 with Jonas sacrifice. If the gun had rolled a critical hit (x2 damage) the total damage would have been 28. Free Gift, level 8: You gain an additional free gift of choice from the Deadland's Blessed character class. Justifiable Sins, level 10: At
this level, the character can do no evil. Regardless of
their own alignment, the character seems to be able to
get away with actions that would normally be against
societies or even their own normal moral conduct, as long
as it can be justified in the context of your
interpretation of your religion. Often Zealots
committing Justifiable Sins claim to hear the order from
a much higher source than just their church elders.
In affect everyone who saw or heard the action suffer a permanent case of Hold thy tongue. For one complete action (about 5 minutes) or event you are socially untouchable, and any knowledge that may come from it. This power CANNOT be used to counter attacks or damage, the Zealot MUST initiate the action for Justifiable Sin to work. Trying to claim a justifiable sin after performing the action just does not work. If the marshal has server problems with this power in trying to control it, just treat it as a Limited Wish spell. THE COST: Each time you use
Justifiable Sins; the fear level of the area goes up
by one point and it costs you 1000 xp. Just how
far the range and the duration of the increase in the
fear level depends the Marshals interpretation of
how much weight the action may carry. The Marshal may want to limit this powerful ability by limiting the actions the organization well allow you to do:
|